Snap-on and quick release connector



Nov; 3, 1970 P. J. E. FOURNIER 1 3,537,152 1 SNAP-0N AND QUICK RELEASE CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 19, 1969 /f' K) v i; n V v if I i/v 6 111 4 1 I w m; I i3 1 l 4/ i I I EE:.E.. l I T M2 M2 M4 O E; Fra s:

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F5334. O, 2W Ifl/ I O M INVENTOR I :D Q izuwzhzzmwmz {4/ 277 BY nited States Patent Oflice Patented Nov. 3, 1970 US. Cl. 24165 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A snap-on connector having a U-shaped body, a U-shaped latch pivoted at one end of the body, and a detent pivoted at an intermediate portion of the body. The other end of the body carries any of various means for attachment to webbing straps or the like. Both the latch and detent are partially enclosed by the body, and the latch swings between a releasing position and a latched position. A pair of open-ended slots in the legs of the latch are adapted to receive a ring, bar or rod to be retained, the bar passing into open-ended slots in the body as the latch swings to latched position. In doing so, the latch snaps into position behind the detent. The latter has a handle portion which, when depressed, permits a spring to open the latch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The connector of this invention is adapted to snap onto any ring, bar or rod of compatible diameter, connecting such ring or rod with a webbing strap, cable or the like which is attached to the other end of the connector, and to quickly release the ring by a simple manual op eration.

Description of the prior art Connectors of a generally similar character, although not including the features of this invention, are shown in US. patents to Smith, No. 2,858,161; Looker, No. 3,074,136; and Higuchi, No. 3,358,340.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The connector comprises a body of U-shaped cross section having a pair of extensions at one end bridged by means for connecting a webbing strap, cable or the like to the body. The legs at the other end of the body have a pair of open-ended slots for receiving the part to be retained. A latch of generally U-shaped construction is pivotally mounted within the body adjacent these slots, and has a pair of open-ended slots which are adapted to receive the part to be retained when the latch is in its releasing position. The slots in the latch are offset from the pivotal axis thereof, so that forcing of the part to be retained towards the body of the connector will cause the latch to pivot, the part to be retained entering the slots in the body.

A detent of U-shaped cross section is pivotally mounted at an intermediate portion of the body and has a locking surface coacting with the latch. When the latch is swung to its retaining position, it will momentarily cam the detent out of position, the latter then snapping into position behind the latch nose. Pressure on a handle portion of the detent will permit a spring to quickly swing the latch to its releasing position.

The detent is recessed within the body to minimize the possibility of inadvertent release of the connector, but will nevertheless release the load with relatively little force being required. The connector may be adapted for attachment to a variety of members such as webbing straps, cable or rope.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the connector, parts being sectioned, and showing the latch in both its releasing and retaining positions;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view thereof taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIG. 1, parts being broken away; and

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are side elevational views of various modifications of the connector for use with different members. FIG. 3 showing attachment to a cable, FIG. 4 to a rod and FIG. 5 to a webbing strap by a ratcheting type of adjusting mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The connector is generally indicated at 11 and comprises a body generally indicated at 12, a latch generally indicated at 13 and a detent generally indicated at 14. Body 12 comprises a central web 15 and a pair of legs .16 and 17 extending therefrom to form a generally U-shaped cross section. A pair of extensions 18 and 19 extend from legs 16 and 17 respectively. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, these extensions are bridged by a pair of knurled round bars 20 and 21, bar 21 being fixed and bar 20 slidably but nonrotatably mounted in a pair of slots 22 in extensions 18 and 19. These bars are adapted to receive and adjustably retain a webbing strap 23 which is threaded around bar 20 and then under bar 21 as shown in FIG. 1. Thus the length of webbing strap 23 may be adjusted while still secured to connector 11.

Extensions 18 and 19 are wider apart than walls 16 and 17 of the body, being connected thereto by inclined sections 24 and 25 respectively.

Latch 13 comprises a central web 26 and a pair of side walls 27 and 28, these side walls fitting within side walls 16 and 17 of body 12. The latch is pivotally mounted by a pin 29 at the end of connector 11 opposite that which retains webbing strap 23.

Walls 27 and 28 of latch 13 have a pair of open-ended slots 31 which are offset from pin 29. A spring 32 mounted on pin 29 has one end which engages the underside of web 15 and another end which engages web 26, thus urging the latch clockwise to a releasing position shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 1. When in this position, slots 31 are approximately aligned with a pair of openended slots 33 formed in walls 16 and 17 adjacent pin 29. The arrangement is therefore such that when a ring, bar or similar member 34 is inserted in slots 31 (when latch 13 is in its releasing position), pressure on member 34 will cause latch 13 to swing counterclockwise in FIG. 1 to a retaining position.

During this swinging movement, member 34 will enter slots 33, and edges 35 of slots 31 will come into blocking relation with member 34. The length of fingers 36 on one side of slots 31 is short enough so that they do not protrude from the edge of body 12 during the swinging movement. However, the edges of slots 31 opposite fingers 36 are long enough to overlap slots 33 when latch 13 reaches its latching position.

Walls 27 and 28 of latch 13 have noses 37 extending away from pivot 29, these noses having surfaces 38 engageable by surfaces 39 on detent 14. The detent has a central web 41 and a pair of side walls 42 and 43 extending in an inclined manner from web 41. These Walls are disposed within walls 16 and 17 of body 12 and are mounted on a pivot pin 44 extending between intermediate portions of walls 16 and 17. Web 41 of the detent is partially hidden by web 15 of the body but extends into the space defined by portions 24 and 25 of legs 18 and 19 so that web 41 may be pressed downwardly by the finger of the operator. A spring 45 is mounted on pin 44 and has one end engaging the underside of web 15 and the other underside of detent 41. This spring urges the detent in a counterclockwise direction which is limited by engagement of web 41 with the underside of web 15. In this position, edges 39 on walls 42 and 43 will engage edges 38 of latch 13 to ,hold the latch in its retaining position. However, when the latch is swung counterclockwise from its releasing position, noses 37 will engage Walls 42 and 43 of detent 14 adjacent surfaces 39 and will cam the detent slightly clockwise in FIG. 1 until noses37 pass walls 42 and 43.,At this point spring 45 'will cause the detent to swing clockwise so that edges 39 will hold latch 13 in its retaining position. Manual pressure on web 41 will first cause latch 13 to be cammed slightly counterclockwise in FIG. 1 by surfaces 39. However, when surfaces '39' pass nose surfaces 38, spring 32 will snap latch 13 to its releasing position as shown'in dot-dash lines in FIG; l.This will immediately release member 34 which may be'withdrawn from slot 31.

FIGS 3, 4 and show various modifications of the invention which are used to attach various members. The connector 101 in FIG 3 has a pair of round eyes 102 formed on extensions 103, these eyes serving to secure a cable 104 to the connector. In FIG. 4, the connector 201 has a pair of extensions 202 which carry a fixed pin 203 for securing a rod 204 to the connector. In FIG. 5, connector 301 has a ratcheting type of adjustable securing means 302 for a webbing strap 303. In all cases, however, the remaining portions of the connector will be the same as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the quick attachment and releast features, as well as the other described advantages, are incoroprated therein.

What is claimed is: 1

1. In a snap-on and quick release connector for securing a tension element such as a webbing strap or cable to a member such as a ring, rod or bar, a U-shaped body having a pair of extensions at one end thereof, means disposed between said.extensions for securing said.tension element thereto, a latch pivoted at the other endof said connector and swingable between releasing and retaining positions, a spring urging said latch to its releasing position, the latch having a U-shaped cross section and being nestled between the side walls of said body, the side walls of the latch having a pair of open-ended slots oifset from the pivot axis of the latch, said slots receiving said member so that pressure thereon will cause the latch to swingtoward its retaining position, a pair of open-ended slots in .the side walls of said body approximately in line with the -slots ,in said latch when the latch is in 'its releasi'ng'position, the length of the latch side walls being such that upon swinging of the latch toward its retaining position, the member will enter the body slots and be retained by the latch, a detent having a central web and a pair of side walls nestled within said body, means pivoting said detent side walls to the body, a spring urging the detent toward a latching position, and interengaging surfaces on the latch and detent causing the detent to momentarily swing away from its latching position when the latch swings toward its retaining position, whereby further moyement of the latch to its retaining position will permit the detent spring to move the detent to a retaining position with respect to the latch.

2. The combination according to claim 1, the central web of said detent being partially concealed by the central web of said, body and partially exposed, whereby the detent may be manually depressed to release said latch.

3. The combination according to claim 2, said body side wall extensions being further apart than the main portion of the body side wall, said detent extending into the wider portion of said body.

4. The combination according to claim 2, said interchanging means on the latch and detent comprising a pair of noses on the side walls of the latch, and a pair of edges on the side walls of the detent engaging said noses.

5. The combination according to claim 2, said means for securing the tension element to said connector comprising a pair of bars bridging saidextensions, one of said bars being fixed and the other being slidable on the extensions, whereby a, webbing strap may be secured to said connector. e

6. The combination according toclaim 2, said means for securing the tension element to said connector comprising a pair of eyes formed on said extensions, whereby a cable may be secured thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,597,417 8/1926 Rioux 24-241 3,074,136 1/1963 Looker 24165 3,241,206 3/1966 Greenfield 24-165 3,358,340 12/1967 Higuchi 24-235 JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 24 23s, 241 

